A popular Cedar Rapids bar has been closed for months because of a fire that happened next door.

Riley's Café on 1st Avenue caught fire in September.

At the time of the fire Moose McDuffy's thought they would be able to reopen within a week but sadly that was not the case.

Today demolition is nearing completion and Moose McDuffy's is beginning the rebuilding process, one they never saw coming.

"We thought we just had a little bit of soot damage and smoke damage. We were ready to open on that Saturday and came in Friday for the final inspection to be able to open and it still was very saturated with smoke smell," says Terra Heaton, Moose McDuffy's Partner and Bar Manager.

It's been nearly three months since they have been able to welcome customers.

The bar says the timing was unfortunate being closed during the start to the school year, football season and the World Series.

"We miss everybody," Heaton told us.

The hope is to reopen sometime in February but there is still a long road ahead.

"We have had to remove our ceiling, all of our insulation, side walls, floor has to be replaced, one of our bathrooms the only thing we were actually able to save was the men's restroom as well as the actual bar itself," Heaton says.

There are some good things coming out of the heartbreak.

Moose McDuffy's will reopen with an updated look and food as a new option for customers.

"We are planning on having a great grand opening," Heaton told us.

The same staff will return when the reopening happens.

Riley's Café is also being worked on, in the meantime they have continued business in the area offering their menu at Daisy's Garage down the street.